Palliative care in India: successes and limitations

Palliative care in India is in a relatively early stage of development and consequently faces numerous problems. The extent of problems relating to the lack of such care is not well described for cancer or nonmalignant diseases. Opioid availability is seriously limited. Many inexpensive drugs are not readily available and some very expensive drugs are often prescribed, adding to the patients' burden. Enormous psychosocial needs often are neglected in busy clinics. The government's palliative care policy has not been implemented. There are clear needs for improvement in multiple areas that must be addressed as new services develop. A system based on outpatient care has proven cost-effective, empowering families to care for patients at home. Whenever possible, inpatient facility and home visits should be available for those who need them. Some measures of quality assurance should develop concurrent with growth of the palliative care movement. Successes and problems in the development of palliative care in India are discussed.